Content Goals:  We launched the FashionChicago brand to support Chicago-based fashion designers and independent boutiques.Our content consisted of designer profiles accessible from both StyleChicago.com and FashionChicago.com websites along with related social media properties. This content and properties were vehicles for promoting and monetizing our signature fashion events, a FashionChicago branded pop-up shopping event and StyleChicago.com’s The Art of Fashion (runway show). We immediately formed external partner relationships with the Chicagoland Entrepreneurial Center, the City of Chicago (Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events) and the Mayor’s Fashion Council (under then Mayor Richard M. Dailey).

We utilized both our existing audience of professional women and new segments of fashion-forward women and industry professionals who were interested in paying $50 to attend a shopping party and/or $100-$150 to see a fashion show & attend a social/networking cocktail party.  In addition to selling tickets, we designed our events and online content to attract national sponsors.

Ticket Sales & Attendance: Almost every one of our signature events (both FashionChicago shopping events and The Art of Fashion runway show) sold out in advance online from 2010 to 2017.  We expanded the event to Millennium Park and attracted 1,000 ticket buyers for each runway show and 10,000-15,000 shoppers for each weekend shopping event..

Ticket sales were monitored daily and online ad spends and web content SEO were optimized to make sure we reached daily ticket sale goals. We carefully monitored which content promotions converted and allocated our ad dollars to the most effective types of posts, emails and promotions.

Vendor Participation: We signed up over 250 fashion designers (~70% of addressable market) in the greater Chicago area from 2010-2017. Designers paid us to exhibit/sell at our shopping events and fashion shows.

Sponsors Brands & Partners:  Cadillac (General Motors), PERONI Italy (Miller Coors), Smartwater (Coca Cola), Diet Coke (Coca Cola), iHeart Media (radio stations), Lifewtr (Pepsi Co.), Absolut / Tequila Avion (Pernod Ricard USA), LUNA Bar (Clif Bar & Co.), Stella Artois (ABInbev), Virgin Hotels, Trump International Hotel Chicago, Heineken/Amstel Light (Heineken USA), Vinylux (runway flooring), City of Chicago